Meet Inga Tantisalidchai | Mixologist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Inga Tantisalidchai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Inga, why did you pursue a creative career?
I have always had an appreciation for art in various forms, from visual to culinary. Working in the restaurant industry has opened up opportunities for me to work with great culinary minds that have shown me how I can express my creative side through cocktails. In addition, prior to truly pursuing my career as a mixologist, I was a high school history teacher and tried to find creative ways to engage and intrigue my students into wanting to learn more about history.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
At first I tried to pursue a career as high school teacher, but due to budget cuts, I lost my job and went back to bartending (which was just a job at the time to help me pay for school). With the uncertainty of whether I would be able to teach again, I decided to focus my energy on bartending and possibly pursuing a career in the service industry during a time when craft cocktails were just being introduced to the cocktail culture. I began entering competitions to test my skills of creativity and found myself landing positions in the regional finals for many of the brand competitions. Each time I competed, I would learn and grow from my competitors by understanding what made their cocktails stand out to win. I never expect to win competitions, but rather saw them as learning and networking opportunities. Local publications soon followed as word got out about all the competitions that I had entered and ranked in. This eventually led to opportunities to work closely with brands like Hennessy and Papa’s Pilar Rum Company, as well as landing me a position to work as a mixologist for Marketeam (a hospitality consulting company that works closely with big corporate companies like Caesar’s, Aria, Norwegian Cruise Lines, and Celebrity Cruise Lines to name a few). I am very fortunate to do what I love and love what I do.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve always believed the best way to experience a place is through the local restaurants and bars/lounges. Living in California is a melting pot of different cultures with a variety of places to eat, drink and meet people. Some of my favorite places to take friends to are small mom and pop restaurants that are unique but are exceptional in the food, drinks and service they provide. One of my favorite places to take friends visiting is a Japanese pub in Fountain Valley, called Kappo Honda. The moment you walk into the restaurant you feel like you’ve been transported to Japan. Chiang Rai is also another local spot that serves authentic Thai food (and has been Michelin recommended for the past 3 years). For night life vibes, I love taking my friend to Mesa when my friend Zeb is DJing. It’s not necessarily a club, but this late night lounge can pack up like a night club with the right person setting the tone with the music. Live music at OLEA in Newport Beach is also another option for a more mellow dinner setting but with a vibe that’s not common in Orange County. For a more unique experience, I like to take my friends to the Hobbit in Orange, where the entire dinner is an experience in itself. And last but not least, Stowawaybis always a go to for some fun tiki vibes and cocktails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Angel (aka The Cocktail Portal). I was always a huge fan of hers prior to meeting her in person. When an Opportunity arose for me to showcase my skills to her in a cocktail competition, I put my whole heart into my submission to make sure I made a lasting impression. Her eye for talent and upcoming trends in the industry has pushed me to go beyond my comfort zone and to branch out to learn and develop my skills even further.

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Image Credits
The Cocktail Portal